Lệ Thủy district of Quảng Bình province is deploying two groups to help farmers in Ngư Thủy and Ngư Thủy Bắc communes manage the sea.
While implementing the 2017 Law of Fisheries, Quảng Bình provincial Sub-department of Fisheries worked with People’s Committee of Lệ Thủy district established and put two groups of co-management of the sea into operation.
Lê Ngọc Linh, Head of Quảng Bình provincial Sub-department of Fisheries, said that fishermen just worked and exploited in the nearshore, but now they have the right to manage the sea under the Government’s assignment.
For a good performance, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Lệ Thủy district held a conference to disseminate some regulations related to the co-management of exploiting and protecting aquatic resources in favor of 60 members of the co-management group and representatives of leaders of relevant institutes and localities.
The sea co-management group is established in Ngư Thủy commune of Lệ Thủy district with 41 members and Vice Chairman of People’s Committee of Ngư Thủy commune Nguyễn Hữu Dĩnh as group leader.
As regulated, the sea co-management group can manage the water which is six miles from the shore and along the beach within the commune territory. The exploitation and use of fishing tools are decided by the Group in accordance with the actual situation of the locality.
Fisherman Nguyễn Văn Hai is quite excited to be one of the members of the Group. He said that all members raised awareness and responsibilities of protecting local aquatic resources.
“Not only will we go fishing but also we will put the protection of aquatic resources in the first priority. Exploiting by electricity and explosives will no longer exist because we always send our supervising force along the sea”, said Hai.
In Ngư Thủy Bắc commune, the sea co-management group is established with 10 members who all have vessels working in the middle shore. Group leader Ngô Văn Đang said: “We will encourage more farmers to participate in the Group”.
To create good environment for aquatic species, 4,000 artificial reefs have been installed along the coastal areas of Ngư Thủy and Ngư Thủy Bắc communes of Quảng Bình province.
Lê Ngọc Linh said that: “These artificial reefs will become houses for shrimp and fishes to stay and propagate. More and more shrimp and fish will be produced in this middle shore in the future, bringing in profits to farmers”.
These are the earliest established Groups of sea co-management in the country. Nguyễn Hữu Hán, Vice Chairman of People’s Committee of Lệ Thủy district said: “Clearly defining the role of those groups will eliminate the destructive exploitation and fishing which is depleting aquatic resources. Thus, the fisheries will be sustainably developed and fishermen will raise income and stabilize their livelihood”.
VFM
